The present invention relates in general to spirit level assemblies having a plurality of level vials incorporated therein for indicating disposition of various portions of the level instrument from horizontal and vertical positions, and more particularly to spirit level assemblies for use by pipefitters and artisans who assemble and mount flanged pipe sections and flanges onto pipe sections, having means incorporated in the assembly for removably and releasably coupling the portions of the apparatus housing bubble vials disposed at various orientations to the flange member at positions to enable the pipe fitter to accurately locate the flange in desired positional relationship to horizontal and vertical planes.
Heretofore, levels of the general type frequently referred to as spirit levels, for use by various artisans, particularly carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers and the like, have generally been formed as an elongated frame of wood or extruded metal having a plurality of liquid filled vials mounted at various positions along the elongated frame disposed to indicate when the contact surface or surfaces of the frame, usually the longitudinal upper and lower edges thereof, are disposed horizontally or vertically or at predetermined angular positions to the horizontal. Most frequently, the levels have been made of extruded metal frames having an I-beam configuration, with the level indicating bubble vials mounted in the thin web portion of the I-beam frame, either by means permanently fixing the ends of the liquid and bubble tubes of the vials in the web portion of the frame or by mounting structures such as lens and ring orming plastic mounts for the bubble and liquid tubes of the vials which are then precisely adjusted in proper angular positions to the contact surfaces at the factory in test jigs or similar test devices. Other spirit level instruments of the type sometimes referred to as torpedo levels have been produced, wherein the frame is a cast metallic frame of generally streamlined or torpedo shape in top plan view having upper and lower parallel planiform longitudinal contact surfaces to be held against the structural member to be levelled and having a plurality of liquid filled vials arranged in the frame to indicate horizontal, vertical and predetermined angular positions of the contact surfaces. However, spirit level devices of the type heretofore commercially available to my knowledge, have not included special means for facilitating mounting of the leveling instrument in predetermined relation to the flange portion of a pipe section such as is needed by pipefitters to properly locate the flange for welding to its pipe section or orient the flange end of a flanged pipe section in predetermined angular positions, which facilitate easy, accurate supporting of the main frame portion of the leveling instrument and its indicating vials adjacent the flange in properly centered and aligned relation for readily indicating when the flange is positioned precisely in the desired disposition relative to and horizontal to vertical planes to enable proper alignment and squaring up of the flange.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel multiple vial universal flange level instrument for pipefitters and the like having a main frame portion supporting a plurality of bubble vials in predetermined angular position for proper alignment of an apertured flange portion of a pipe section or the like and having centering cones and rod members insertable through the holes in the flange to be aligned, adapted for use with holes of various diameters, coactive with releasable locking slide cylinders receivable on the centering cone rods for releasably holding the flange level assembly on the flange at predetermined positions facilitating rapid accurate vertical disposition and alignment of the flange.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.